The B-25 is named the "Mitchell,"
after General Billy Mitchell, the
first and foremost advocate of the importance
of aerial bombardment in the
prosecution of war.
The B-25 gained immortality as the
bomber that struck back against
Japan in what became known as "The
Doolitle Raid." On April 18,
1942, in response to the Japanese
attack at Pearl Harbor on December
7, 1941, Lt Colonel
James Doolitle led a 16 ship strike
package launched from the aircraft
carrier Hornet. Flying
over 800 miles at low altitude, the
"Doolitle Raiders" attacked military
targets in and around Tokyo.
Inflicting minimal physical damage,
the attack had a huge psychological
impact on the enemy and the US at
the time. The Imperial
Japanese were shocked that America
was able to strike them on their
home soil. Americans were uplifted
by the heroic effort, which served
as an example of the United States'
willingness to fight and defend
herself after the Pearl Harbor
attack. The Doolitle Raid is
an extremely important chapter in
the book of United States military
aviation history.
The B-25 had numerous variants with
models carrying different armament
packages. The standard
configuration carried twelve 0.50
caliber machine guns, with the
aircraft being capable of carrying
4000 pounds of bombs. One of
the most interesting (and lethal)
variants was the installation of a
75 mm cannon in the nose of the
aircraft. This "flying
howitzer" could be fired 3 times a
minute by a skilled crew and could
sink a ship with a single shot at a
range of over 2 miles.
The B-25 is a big, beautiful
airplane and we love to see them
fly. They make a wonderful big
noise and we are thrilled to see an
increasing number of them flying.
They serve as a great reminder of
our country's courage and ingenuity
under fire.
|
North American B-25 Specifications: |
|
Nickname: "Mitchell" |
|
Engine: Two Wright R-2600
Radial, 14 Cylinder, 1700 hp
each |
|
Wing Span: 67 ft, 7 in.
Length: 52
ft, 11 in. Height: 16 ft, 4
in. |
|
Weight: Empty: 19,480 lbs.
Max Take-Off: 35,000 lbs. |
|
Maximum Speed: 272 mph |
|
Service Ceiling: 24,200 ft. |
|
Range: 1350 miles |
|
Crew: 5 to 7 depending upon
configuration |
|
Number Built: 9,800+ |
|
Flying Today: Approximately
50 |
